


Inner demon

by SandyFeral



Series: Negaverse [1]
Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991)
Genre: Bad Dreams, Other, death mention, parental relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 17:09:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21039773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SandyFeral/pseuds/SandyFeral
Summary: Nega Bushroot has to deal with Lyn having a bit of a crisis.





	Inner demon

The Negaverse was a cruel place. A place where people could stab you in the back easily, a place where being nice could get you killed. This was why Bushroot had never made it a priority to learn how to get along with people.

Or to learn how to deal with kids.

It was the middle of the night. Today had been a pretty eventful day, and the rest of the friendly four had fallen asleep. Even Liquidator, who didn’t need sleep, had passed out in the small fish tank beside the bed.

But not Bushroot. 

Days like this didn’t make him tired. They made him antsy. Alert. Anxious.

He had taken in upon himself to guard check all the windows, just to make sure no one approached the building. Despite the protests of the other three. He was so on edge that her voice nearly made him jump.

“Bushroot?”

Bushroot turned, his spikes flaring to their full two-inch length… then he saw it was just Lyn. He relaxed a bit, though not fully.

“Oh. It’s just you. Uh, what're you doing up at this time of night?” He asked.

She fiddled with her hands. “I had a bad dream,” she said in her tiny voice. 

Bushroot’s heart twisted. “I’m sorry.” He gulped. He didn’t usually spend time alone with her. She had always seemed fragile. And he was not a gentle person. “I-Is there something you wanted from me?”

Lyn nodded. Her eyes were wide, looking straight at him. “I just needed someone to talk to about it.”

“I’m not the best at talking kid,” Bushroot said. “Why don’t you wake up one of the others? I’m sure they wouldn’t be bothered by it. They’d want you to tell them.”

She bit the bottom corner of her mouth. “Well I would but they’re- well they-” she shook her head and looked away. “No, I shouldn’t say that. That's kinda mean.”

“C’mon it’s fine kiddo, just spit it out.”

She sighed. “I can’t tell the others because they’re  _ too nice _ .”

Bushroot inhaled sharply. Damn. That had hurt a bit more than he expected it to. “Well. Okay then.”

“No!” Lyn said. “Sorry, I mean I just think they’ll get upset if I tell them! You don’t get like that.”

Not true. Bushroot got upset all the time. Just more in a sulky way than a crying or depressive or anxious way like the others did sometimes. But still, he didn’t want to turn her away if she couldn’t talk to the others. 

“I get it,” Bushroot said. “So what happened.”

Quickly Lyn walked over to him and sat down against his leg. Although initially surprised, Bushroot sat down as well, and retracted his spikes so she could crawl safely into his lap.

“I’ve had this dream a few times before but I never told anyone,” she said. “Because it’s… Ugh it’s really bad but…” she pressed her cheek against Bushroot’s chest. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before she began again. “I’ve been having this dream that I-that I’m killing people.” She gulped. “A lot of people.”

“Is that all?” Bushroot asked. Then he mentally kicked himself when she looked up at him, clearly upset. “What I mean is, I know that sounds bad, but you wouldn’t really kill anyone! You’re one of the few people here that I know wouldn’t-”

“But I have.”

Bushroot stopped in his tracks. Lyn didn’t seem to notice.

“A woman,” Lyn continued. Now she wasn’t looking at him, her eyes were staring off into the distance. She seemed to be recollecting something. Her hand pressed against his chest. “She grabbed me, and she was threatening me, but it was because she was trying to protect a lot of people. Negaduck got upset when she touched me and when I got free he handed me an ax and-” her voice cuts off suddenly. Her fingers curled into a small fist. Her voice came out soft, shaky and fragile. “I’m a really good shot.”

“Lyn…” Bushroot -slightly awkwardly- put his arms around her. “Dear, I’m so sorry.”

“That’s not the bad part.” She was now stuff in his arms. “The worst part is… I kinda enjoyed it.”

Bushroot’s eyes widened. “Y-You did?” This was  _ not _ something he was prepared to deal with. How was he supposed to respond.

Finally, she looked back up at him again. Her face was unnervingly blank. That was, until she realized how he was looking at her.

“I don’t-” she began, but immediately tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice cracking. “I-I know it’s wrong but I c-can’t stop thinking about it! I don’t understand! He was just- I don’t know!” She clung to his chest, both hands balled into fists, trembling. “It was messy, and horrible, and I was crying, but she was scaring me so badly! J-just, knowing that I was safe, that she couldn’t hurt me anymore- it felt so good! Then he started patting my head, and he told me I was good and-” she sniffed. “And when I see you go out everyday, and when people almost  _ kill you _ , I  _ want _ to hurt them. I know it’s awful but…”

She buried her face in Bushroot’s chest and began to shake violently, sobs wracking her body. 

“A-and in my dreams I’m h-happy, and it feels good! It really sc-scares me! Every time it gets worse, and now I’m so scared that-that one day I’ll end up just like him, b-because deep down that’s who I am!” She finished between her continued crying.

Ah. This was it. 

Bushroot wrapped his arms around her shaking figure, pulling her closer.

“Lyn,” he stroked her hair. “Lyn, you’re nothing like him!”

“H-how do you know?” She asked, stiff sniffling.

Bushroot lifted her face so he could look at her. “Because… well everyone can have bad thoughts ok?” He was partially talking about himself now. “A lot of times I wanna hurt people who try to kill my… family. I understand what you mean. You’re so young, and I guess that means you have a lot of time to get worse. But look at Honker. He’s your age and he’s already a little bas-” he stopped himself. “Uh. A little menace.”

“You mean a little bastard?” Lyn asked. She smiled slightly, wiping tears from her eyes. “You act like I’ve never heard Negaduck say that before.”

“Right.” Bushroot chuckled a bit. “My point is, around here, a lot of people are pretty terrible right off the bat. But not you. You lived with  _ Negaduck  _ of all people, and you still ran off with us the first chance you’ve got. Maybe you picked up a few bad habits from him, probably pretty hard not to, but you’ve been nothing but a perfect little darling since you started living with us. I know most people get worse as they get older, but clearly you don’t  _ want to _ , and you’re still in control of what you do. You’re one of the only people around here who wants to be good, and I feel like you’re going to do a pretty good job at it. And if you need any help, you know the four of us are always here.”

“I know.” Lyn smiled. Then she laughed a bit, a few more tears trickling out of her eyes.

“What so funny?” Bushroot asked.

“Just, that’s the most positive thing I think I’ve ever heard you say,” Lyn said. She hugged him tightly. 

“See?” Bushroot said. “Your good influence is already affecting me.”

She giggled. “Well I think you’re already good enough on your own.”

Bushroot smiled in response. 

Her next words almost knocked the wind out of him.

“Thank you! I love you dad.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ok this got weirdly personal for me. I guess a lot of my insecurities are tied to horrible involuntary thoughts and such?


End file.
